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An Post has moved to embed sustainability at the very heart of its business. The company has focused on making real progress in carbon reduction and earning long-term benefits for the communities it serves.

An Post’s e-fleet currently stands at more than 220 vehicles, the largest electric fleet in Ireland. The company has achieved a reduction of 33% in its carbon footprint since 2009, and a 15% improvement in energy efficiency. And that is not all. An Post recently produced its 2019 Sustainability Report, and even a brief glance at the document shows an impressive list of achievements and a commitment to further gains.

An Post reports significant progress during 2019 using the five Sustainable Development Goals most relevant to the postal industry to guide its business strategy and reporting framework: Climate Action; Decent Work & Economic Growth; Sustainable Cities & Communities; Responsible Consumption & Production; and Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure.

Sustainability Progress

Among the highlights of An Post’s progress in 2019 alone were:

• A reduction of carbon emissions by 3.5% over 2018 and accelerated the commitment to 50% carbon footprint reduction by 2025 (originally 2030).

• Becoming the first postal company in the world to eliminate carbon emissions from deliveries in capital city.

In Association with

• A commitment to having emission free deliveries in all cities by end 2020 and upwards of 750 electric vehicles across Ireland.

• A leadership position on gender pay and action plan for better gender balance and diversity across the company.

• Reaffirmation of An Post’s opposition to zero hour contracts.

• The creation of Address Point, a world-first, free personal address service for people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation.

Zero Carbon Delivery

An Post is the first postal service provider in the world to attain zero carbon emission delivery status in a capital city. Every An Post letter and parcel delivery in Dublin City Centre is, emission free, avoiding 450 tonnes of CO2. Zero carbon emission deliveries are being rolled out to Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford, and by the end of 2020 will benefit the lives of another 700,000 people. All of the electricity for the Electric Fleet is sourced solely from renewable resources.

Retrofit Green Hub

Later this year, An Post will take centre stage with its Green Hub, providing end-to-end project management and money-saving advice for all levels of home retrofitting, along with a low-cost loan rate. This one-stop-shop approach will cover loan-only or full retrofit services, from initial home assessments to completed works, along with SEAI grant application and payment process.

An Post will play a leading role in supporting the government’s climate action plan to retrofit up to 500,000 houses, and Irish householders’ desire to make environmentally responsible decisions when investing in their homes or replacing fossil-fuelled vehicles.

An Post’s purpose is clear and clearly stated: ‘To improve the lives of people in Ireland now and for generations to come.’ The months to come will show further advances and ambitious moves on the company’s Sustainability agenda.

Photo: An Post is rolling out zero carbon emission delivery across Ireland’s cities. Pictured with CEO David McRedmond (left) are Garett Brigeman, Managing Director, Mails & Parcels, and postal worker Laura Fitzsimons